IF ONLY.....

CHAPTER 23

Cole: how... I mean where.....how....
He said with a low tone and Kgosi swallowed hard.
Kgosi: I survived the crash and this man right here saved my life, if it wasn’t for him I’d be dead by now
Cole stood there shocked to the core with his heart beating fast.
Cole: I thought...we thought...
Kgosi: I know, it’s been two years so I understand
Cole: you’re here....it’s really you?
Kgosi walked to him and he hugged him tight and Cole hugged him back tighter and they stayed like that for some time with tears coming out.... after some time they broke the hug and they both wiped their tears off chuckling.
Cole: it’s really you
Kgosi chuckled.
Kgosi: yeah...in the flesh
They both laughed.
Kgosi: I’d like you to me my second father Mr Kabongo Kabongo... Mr KK for short
Cole shook his hand respectfully.
Cole:: its nice to meet you sir
Kgosi:  and father this is my brother from another mother Cole
MrKabongo: nice to finally meet you Mr Cole
Kgosi: stop with the Mr and  just call him Cole 
Cole: ah ah what’s with the jealousy?
They laughed.
Cole: shit  I can’t believe you’re here man
He said squeezing his shoulder then his phone rang and he answered it.
Cole: Richie you won’t believe.....
Richie: go to the hospital right now im already on my way there
He interrupted him with a panicking voice and Cole frowned.
Cole: what’s going....is Marang ok
He said with his own panicking voice.
Richie: get to the hospital man it’s an emergency, im already on my way there
Then he dropped the call and Cole brushed his hair with a worried look on his face .
Kgosi: what’s wrong
Cole: I need to rush to the hospital
He said panicking.
Kgosi: what happened?
Cole: my girl is admitted there....you know what I’ll explain everything when I get back
Then he called the house help and she came rushing.
Helper: baba
Cole: ma this is my brother Kgosi and his....father Mr Kabongo.....please take care of them I need to rush somewhere and take them to the guest bedrooms and make sure they feel comfortable
The helper nodded.
Cole: foza make yourself at home and I better find you here when I come back
Kgosi: you will now go
He rushed upstairs and he took his phone, car key and wallet and he rushed downstairs all the way to the door and Linda walked out if the kitchen.
Linda: Cole can we talk before....
He ignored her and rushed out and she sighed.
Helper: let me help you with your bags sir
Kgosi: no its ok ma I’ll carry them
She nodded with a smile and she went upstairs and they followed her.
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Cole finally arrived at the hospital, he was delayed by traffic so it took him longer to get there.....anyway he ran inside going straight to where Marang’s ward was and when he saw police officers outside her ward his heart nearly stopped and he stopped walking....as soon as Richie saw him he rushed to him.
Cole: what’s...what’s going on man....is Marang and Dineo ok....what are the police doing here
Richie: they are both fine but they nearly...
He couldn’t even say it.
Richie: Mazwi was here
Cole frowned looking at him.
Cole: what....no he can’t be remember he’s on his way to the mental asylum
Richie: he was here man....i don’t know how it happened but he was here and Marang went into shock and Dee.....she.....
He clenched his jaws.
Richie: she started bleeding and.....
Cole: no....no....don’t say it
He interrupted him.....Richie’s eyes got filled with tears but he fought them back.
Richie: she was carrying twins and she miscarried one twin
Cole looked down with his jaws clenched.
Cole: shit..... im sorry man
He said brushing his hair roughly and Richie just swallowed hard.
Cole: what...what about Marang
Richie: she almost miscarried too when she went into shock but they attended to her fast
Cole went to the wall and he slid down and sat flat on the floor and Richie joined him.
Cole: someone helped him i know it
Richie: do you think Zakhele and Vuyiswa along with ou’lady la gao ( your mother) helped him?
Cole: nah, I have Zakhele followed and he spends most of his time with some woman he’s fucking on the side and Vuyiswa all she does is drink her stupid sorrows away these days..... I think it’s those two fuckers
Richie: Dee’s ex and that little pet of his?
Cole nodded and Richie clenched his jaws looking down and tears filled his eyes and he let them fall.
Cole: im sorry for your loss man
He said squeezing his shoulder and Richie wiped his tears off and he chuckled.
Richie: can you believe I even got a call from my mother and she said Mmabatho suffered a miscarriage
Cole: fuck!
He chuckled again.
Richie: does it make me a bad person for not caring if she did....i don’t know man I just had no connection whatsoever to that pregnancy but with Dee it’s hitting me hard man
Cole sighed.
Cole: I understand man and I’ll never judge you for feeling that way....so does Dee know
He nodded.
Richie: she’s hurt man, she said she wants him dead
He looked at Cole and Cole nodded.
Cole: and that’s what will happen....he’s a dead boy walking
Richie: he’s mine
Cole: ok
Then they kept quiet and the police officers walked to them.
Cole: I have nothing to say to them you’ll listen to whatever rubbish they have to say
He got up and walked inside Marang’s ward and the police officers had a talk with Richie.....inside the room Cole kissed Marang’s lips and forehead then he rubbed her belly then he whispered to her ear.
Cole: he’s a dead man walking....i have been too nice ntokazi but it ends now
He said with a cold voice and he breathed out and went to stand by the window and took out his phone and made a call.
Man: bass ( boss)
Cole: daar is n los plaag wat gevang moet word ( there is a loose unstable pest that needs to be captured)
Man: naam (name)
Cole: Mazwi Zulu
Man: dood of lewend? ( dead or alive)
Cole: lewend (alive)
Man: benadeel of ongedeerd? ( harmed or unharmed)
Cole: benadeel, maar nie te veel nie (harmed but not too much)
Man: reken dit as afgehandel! (consider it done!)
Cole: Ahooi!
They ended the call and her turned and looked outside the window with his hands inside his pockets.


----------


AT COLE’S HOUSE

Kgosi was making himself a cup of coffee while Mr Kabongo was resting upstairs, it was his first time traveling to another country and also using an airplane and being jet legged was showing him flames....Linda walked inside the kitchen and she scanned Kgosi up and down and she bit her lower lip, she then looked at his firm butt and his broad shoulders.
Kgosi: are you done?
She got startled and she chuckled nervously.
Linda: done what?
Kgosi: did you come into this kitchen to stare at my back
He said without turning to look at her.
Linda: no...anyway im Belinda ....Shirley’s sister, she used to tell me about you when she was still alive....about how close you and Cole are but she didn’t call you Kgosi she called you King
Kgosi: so?
Linda: im just introducing myself jeez
Kgosi: so what should I do now that you’ve introduced yourself?
He said with a cold voice turning to look at her and she frowned looking at him..... nigga was handsome no lies...he had caramel skin, he also had a nicely trimmed beard, a trimmed short and neat haircut and he had big bedroom eyes.......he was wearing a vest and he had tattoos on his arms, chest and back.... he was also buff like his friend Cole. 
Linda: I was just introducing myself cause Cole forgot to introduce us
Kgosi: the fact that he didn’t introduce you to me is a clear indication that you are irrelevant to him
Her face fell as that hurt and he took his cup of coffee.
Kgosi: here is some free advice Belinda....you are not Shirley and you’ll never be her even if you tried
Linda: excuse me?
She said with a bit of attitude.
Kgosi: I always knew you had the hots for my brother and im sure now that Shirley is dead you saw it as a chance to make your move but what you don’t know about Qophelo is he likes being the hunter and not the hunted...get my drift?
He walked out leaving Linda tongue tide.

----------

AT THE HOSPITAL

Richie: do you think he’ll come back here
Cole: he’ll be stupid to
He said as they were looking at Marang and Dineo sleeping on their hospital beds.....they were now sharing a private ward.
Cole: didn’t the doctor see that she was carrying twins that time she fainted and was admitted briefly?
Richie sighed.
Richie: the current doctor said maybe the other baby was hiding and the scanner didn’t detect him or shit like that
Cole: im sorry for your loss man and im glad you’re still gonna be a father
Richie: yeah but that boy is gonna pay...he’s gonna fucken pay man
He said with an angry voice.
Cole: don’t worry they are looking for him as we speak, its just a matter of time before they find him
Richie: do you think he contacted Vuyiswa
Cole: ever since he was arrested I had her phone bugged so my boy would’ve known if he did
Richard sighed rubbing his face.
Cole: before I forget I need you to go to my place, I have a surprise for you there
Richie frowned looking at him.
Cole: I’ll look after the girls until you come back wena just go
Richie: what surprise?
Cole: you’ll like it..... just go so you can come back man before Dee wakes up
Richie: wait they found him right, I mean Mazwi.....he’s at your place in the basement
Cole chuckled.
Cole: just go man
Richie smirked.
Richie: ok....i’ll take a video for you
Cole chuckled.
Cole: will you just go
Richie: fine I’ll be right back
He went to Dineo and kissed her forehead.
Richie: call me if anything happens
Cle: you know I will
Richie: shap
He walked out thinking of ways to torture Mazwi......He opened the gate with his own remote control and he drove inside the yard and parked his car, he then got out and closed it and he walked to the door....he opened it and walked inside, Kgosi turned thinking its Cole and when their eyes met, Richie froze on the spot.
Kgosi: Ti...Tirelo
Richard just stood there with his eyes popped out and Kgosi slowly got up......he stood there swallowing hard.
Richie: am I dreaming?
Kgosi: no...it’s really me
Richie: how....i mean when....i mean I thought
Kgosi sighed.
Kgosi: the plane crashed but I was saved by a good Samaritan, I came back with him he’s resting upstairs....i lost my memory but I got it back 6 months ago, I had no id or passport and no money so I had to work hard with the help of the good Samaritan Mr Kabongo who save my life to make money so I can buy fake passports and to get money for plane tickets and other stuff
Tears ran down Richie’s face and Kgosi looked down feeling emotional.
Richie: when did you arrive?
Kgosi: a couple of hours back...right before you called Cole to come to the hospital
Richie: oh God....oh God.... I though you died....i thought I’ll never see....
He busted out with a sob and Kgosi rushed to him and they embraced each other....they held on tight to each other for some time until they broke the hug.
Richie: it’s been two years man
He said as they both sat down with Richard wiping his tears off.
Kgosi: I know....the only thing I remembered was that my name was king, I didn’t remember where I was from or anything else that got to do with my life back home
Richie: what happened man....we talked before you boarded the plane and that was it
Kgosi sighed.
Kgosi: our plane was shot down by the rebels as it was passing through DRC ....some friends I made back in DRC said there was some cargo of diamonds worth millions they wanted that was being flown back to South Africa by some rich Egyptian man.... they made sure the place didn’t explode in the sky they just wanted it to crash so they can seize the diamonds
Richie: damn
Kgosi: I wasn’t the only one that survived but apparently the rebels killed the survivors....luckily I was hidden under some plane wreckage passed out when they arrived so they didn’t see me....those motherfuckers burned all the bodies of the dead  passengers, pilots and hostesses and they buried them not far from the wreckage
Richard swallowed looking emotional.
Kgosi: after they left the villagers came to take parts of the wreckage to use in their homes and that’s when Mr Kabongo found me, he waited for everyone to leave and he took me to his hut and nursed me back to health...i owe that man my life Tirelo....he had to lie that im his long lost son from Benin so that they rebels don’t come for the surviving passenger cause once the government knows the location of the plane crash then they’ll find the hiding place of the rebels cause apparently the jungle the plane crashed in is the rebels territory
Richie: damn
He didn’t know what to say.
Richie: im glad you’re safe man I can’t wait to see mmangwane’s face when she see you
“well I can’t wait to see your mother’s face instead when she realizes that im alive” is what he thought.
Kgosi: yeah
He said smiling briefly.
Richie: so I guess you’re the surprise huh
They both chuckled.
Kgosi: im a pretty good one huh
They both chuckled then Richie’s face got serious.
Kgosi: what is it?
Richie: my girl was carrying twins and she miscarried one earlier today
He then swallowed emotionally.
Kgosi: shit....im sorry man....wait by your girl you mean kane what’s her name...Mmarona or Mmabatho?
Richie: nah not her, well it’s a long story.....i ended up marrying Mmabatho after your disappearance then I met Dineo and shit got real
He told her everything about Mmabatho, Dineo and Marang and Kgosi couldn’t believe it.
Kgosi: I told you I don’t like that Mmabatho chick
Richie: well mom forced her down my throat and I just ended up marrying her to get her off my back and for our ancestors not to fuck me up
Kgosi just shook his head.
Kgosi: so Cole has a new girl and she’s pregnant huh
Richard laughed.
Richie: mmmmh she’s a bit younger than him but she’s beautiful and kind and well the rest he’ll tell you himself
Kgosi: I see I missed a lot things neh...well im glad he’s moving on...... what about Botlhale....how is she?
Richard cleared his throat.
Kgosi: what?
Richie: well she got married to another prince 8 months after your disappearance
Kgosi clenched his jaws looking down.
Richie: im sorry man
He sighed.
Kgosi: I guess it is what it is
He said with a low tone.
Richie: well im glad you’re back and that I won’t be king anymore after father’s rein
Kgosi smirked looking at him.
Kgosi: what if I don’t want to be king anymore?
Richie: wa gafa ( you are crazy).....our ancestors will deal with you for me, you know im not a king material man....those old fools called elders annoy me every time there’s a meeting whenever father forces me to be present so imagine dealing with them every fucken day nah man...i’ll  end up telling them voetsek to their faces
They laughed.
Richie: damn im glad you’re back man.....i still can’t believe it
Kgosi: im glad to be back
Then Richard’s phone rang and he answered it.
Richie: jou moerkond....why didn’t you tell me king is back!
Cole chuckled and so did Kgosi.
Cole: it was a surprise man
Richie: I can’t believe he’s really here man
Cole: me too but that’s not why I called
Richard got serious.
Richie: they found him?
Cole: yeah but they found him dead
Richie: what
He said with a frown on his face.
Cole: they found him hanged man in some apartment, they say it looks like suicide but we both know it wasn’t
Richie: damn it!
He said sounding angry.
Cole: I still suspect lenja Collins nomsila wayo ( the dog Collins and his tail).... my gut is telling me they have a hand in his escape and death
Richie: Marang and Dineo need to be discharged man cause we don’t know those fools’ plans and that hospital is not safe
Cole: I’ll get right on it but I’ll have them discharged tomorrow cause I don’t want ntokazi to find Linda there 
Richie: ok I’ll beef up security here in the meantime
Cole: ok and tell Kgosi to get rid of Linda before Marang gets there...i don’t want anything that will upset her
Richie: ok
Cole: ask King if he has a phone
Richie asked him.
Kgosi: nah I don’t
He said it loud enough for Cole to hear him.
Cole: tell him he should go to my study inside the safe, the password is still the same and he should take one of the phone’s there to use it to communicate with us
Richie: ok I’ll let him know
Cole: shap
They ended the call and Richard told him Cole’s message.
Kgosi: you two are still using the same numbers?
Richie: yeah
Kgosi: ok cool
Richie: I cant believe you’re here man
Kgosi chuckled.
Kgosi: better believe it man.....anyway tell me about the dead fuck and what the hell is going on
Richie: the dead fucker is Mazwi....Zakhele’s son
Kgosi: wait what?
He said with a frown on his face.
Richie: he raped Marang, Cole’s girl and almost burned her alive.....
Kgosi: o reng? (What did you say?)